Sasuke's Bedside Story
by Airen-kun
Summary: [EDITED BONUS CHAPTER UP] It was at the dinner table that night, while he sat opposite the Hokage gawking and everyone watched in awe, that Naruto began gulfing down Sakura and Grandma Haruno’s beautiful dinner like it was junk food![SasuSaku]
1. Sakura's Sick?

**_Author's Note_**_ I'm not familiar with the timelines so please forgive me. But Sasuke and Sakura are both 12-13 years old in this fiction. _

**_Disclaimer_**_ We all know that I do not own any part of Naruto, so let's get on with it, shall we?

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Chapter 1: Sakura's sick?  
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"What do you mean 'Sakura-chan is sick'!" an exasperated blond ninja yelled towards his silver-haired teacher as their raven haired teammate listened on impassively.

The sky hung low with big, grey clouds as Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi were gathered at the bridge, their usual meeting place. Kakashi was leaning back with his elbows resting on the rail, one hand holding a new volume of _Icha Icha Paradise_. His two male students stood opposite him, a very worried Naruto on his left, and a stoic Sasuke on his right.

"I _mean_ she's sick. I didn't think that would be hard to understand, even for someone like you Naruto. You're overreacting as usual," Kakashi replied bluntly, his one eye still glued to his favorite book. Sensing that Naruto still wouldn't follow, he added, "Relax, I visited her earlier and it's nothing too serious. Well, that's what you get for staying in the rain for too long. Ninjas _are_ humans after all."

Sasuke lowered his head to hide a sniffle. _Curse the world for being human_, he thought.

Sasuke shifted from his position, crossing his arms over his chest. He recalled their last mission assigned to them five days ago. They were supposed to help reinforce an old dam in a farmers' village in the outskirts of the fire country. It was a fairly simple rank-C mission, but it had been difficult to accomplish due to the foul weather that week. It had been pouring even before they left Konoha for the mission. And as their instructor had expected, the rain turned into a raging typhoon when they reached their destination. For three days straight they worked to strengthen the dam before the village completely flooded. And though Kakashi had asked Sakura to watch over the villagers instead, she insisted in helping with the rebuilding. As a result, the only female in the group was now sick.

"Since our team is incomplete, there will be no missions or training for today. Consider this your day-off. However, when she gets better, we'll be training so hard you guys will never get sick again...Hmm, that's all then," Kakashi's eyes squinted, probably smiling as he closed his book. He stood up straight and disappeared with a puff of smoke.

Naruto flinched when he heard the last phrase. Training was going to be a massacre when Sakura gets back, he shuddered. Sasuke stared thoughtfully into the water, and then abruptly turned to leave.

"Oi Sasuke, where'ya off to now? I'm gonna go visit Sakura-chan after dropping by at Ichiraku's. Wanna come along?" Naruto hollered to his retreating back.

"No. I've got better things to do," he replied coldly as he walked away without looking back. All the while his heart tugged at him to reconsider Naruto's offer. But he shrugged it off, like he did in most cases. He did, in fact, have more urgent matters to attend to.

_Like buy some medicine for this cold before it gets worse_.

He heard footsteps fading into the distance. It didn't help Sasuke when he glanced behind him to see Naruto happily bouncing away. He imagined he was off to the Harunos' after he had done stuffing himself with ramen at Ichiraku's. He imagined the silly grin that would be plastered on the blond ninja's face when he sees their teammate lying on her bed. He imagined her smiling back at Naruto for his kind gesture. He scowled.

_Curse the world for jealousy_, he thought.

Then he stopped when he realized what he had just said to himself. He kicked himself mentally.

_Curse the world for being human.

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**_Author's Note_**_: I'm sorry if Sasuke came off a bit OOC. Please help me fix his lines. Suggestions will be very much appreciated! _


	2. Secret Visitor

_**Author's Note**: I'm not familiar with the timelines so please forgive me. But Sasuke and Sakura are both 12-13 years old in this fiction._

_**Disclaimer**: We all know that I do not own any part of Naruto, so let's get on with it, shall we?_

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**Chapter 2: The Secret Visitor**

It was the dead of night. The chilly wind howled furiously across the dark, damp streets and alleyways. There was not a soul outside their homes, except one. Hastily leaping from rooftop to rooftop was Uchiha Sasuke. Gracefully and stealthily, he made his way to the Harunos' residence.

The uneasiness that nipped at him since that morning didn't stop. After he left Naruto to buy some cold medicine, he spent most of the day training on his own. However, he couldn't concentrate fully. The thought of a bed-ridden Sakura kept consuming him. As often as he thought about it, he denied the need to see her, stubborn pride reigning in his decision. Was he worried about her health? Was he guilty that he didn't protest when she insisted on joining them in the cold rain? Was he jealous that Naruto could visit her anytime he wished?

Maybe he felt all three emotions. The weight of his feelings was so much that by the day's end he had grown weary from the mental anguish. Finally acknowledging what he had to do, he sat down and thought hard. He seldom bargained with his pride because it was an instinct he had always followed...well, until now, it would seem. He knew it would be a difficult debate:

_She's my teammate after all. Since I always look after her during our missions, then I should at least see how she's doing. That's logical, isn't it?_

_No, there's no way I'm going there. What about Naruto, Kakashi, her parents even. If they see me anywhere near, they'll think I've got a soft spot for her. Or worse, they'll think I like her. And Sakura…she's going to be even more clingy than usual after this._

_But, she's sick. And she's not THAT clingy…not like Ino or those hordes of fan girls._

_Whatever. So what if she IS sick? Everyone's sick! Who cares?_

_/Sneeze/…Dammit! I can't get any peace if I don't see her!_

_Am I going crazy? I'm a cold, heartless avenger for crying out loud. Forget it. Uchiha Sasuke is not going to be seen even twenty feet from her house. I will not show concern; concern is a sign of weakness. End of story._

_Wait a minute…If getting seen is the trouble, then I won't be seen._

_What? I can't believe this is happening._

_It's just a peek. Just a peek to see how she's doing and then I'm gone. I'll sneak into her house tonight, when they're all asleep._

_What about Sakura?_

_She'll never know I was there. Nobody will._

_Hn…just a peek, huh?_

_Yes, that's right. So I can get this stupid anxiety out of my system._

_Bah. Suit yourself. How annoying. I can't believe I'm letting myself do THIS._

_I know._

"Just a peek," Sasuke whispered, reminding himself of his boundaries. He was in the vicinity of Sakura's house now. Swiftly yet cautiously he jumped over the fence. He ran towards the house and backed himself against one of its walls. He looked over his shoulder up to the window at his left. A pale yellow light emanated from inside. With the same surreptitiousness he would use in his training, he sprang unto the narrow window sill. Focusing chakra unto his feet, he landed perfectly on the small ledge without making a sound. He held unto the window frame with his hands. He lowered his head to peek inside.

It was very dim inside. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the room. To his right, at one corner of the room, was a small lamp set on a on a table. It was the only the source of illumination. Beside it was her bed. Piles of blankets were scattered on the floor around it. A small figure was curled on top of the bed sheets. It was Sakura, no doubt. The sallow light mingled with the pink of her hair, making it look like it was aglow. She was wearing white pajamas with red circle prints. She slept on her side with her knees bent awkwardly and her back facing him. Her arms were loosely wrapped around herself. She was shivering.

He paused. Should he…? He was having another bout with himself. _Just a peek_, his pride reminded him. But when he looked on at her shaking form, he just couldn't turn back. She was annoying him even when she slept. He scowled inwardly.

Slowly, Sasuke slid the window open and slipped inside. After closing it, he tiptoed to her bedside. He looked at her and confirmed that she was asleep, and carefully began gathering the scattered sheets. One by one he neatly laid the sheets on top of Sakura's trembling body. He was careful to lay them neatly, and tuck the edges slightly under her. As he did so, he unconsciously noted how the hair at the back of her head was beautifully strewn across her pillow. For a moment, he wondered if he could touch it. But then he realized what he was thinking and shook his head mildly, dismissing the idea with a grunt.

_What IS wrong with me today?_

Only one blanket left and he was done. He bent slightly as he dragged the blanket up to her shoulders, finding satisfaction as he neared completion of his task. But suddenly, as he was about to stand up, she stirred. Alerted by her movement, Sasuke caught his breath and stiffened. His hands still held the hem of the cloth, the fingers on his right hand slightly brushing against her back. What happened next made his mouth hang open in bewilderment—she rolls over, burying his arm under her!

How and why his ninja reflexes failed him in that split-second left him perplexed. Sasuke's mind screamed. He grit his teeth in frustration.

_Damn. I knew this was a bad idea!_

And so there he was, Uchiha Sasuke, the prodigy of Konoha, stuck at her teammate's bedside, embarrassment written all over his face. And just when he thought things possibly couldn't get any worse, large raindrops drops started to sheet down outside. He stared on at the drops that pattered against the window and heaved a sigh.

_Feh. This is going to take longer that I expected…_

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	3. Seven Minute Musing

_**Author's Note**: I finally thought of where to fit this fic in the anime's timeline! That would be some time after the Chuunin exams, before the next story arc. So Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura would be pretty close friends by then. I'm sorry if things are going a little slow in this chapter, but I really wanted to capture as much of Sasuke's thoughts as possible. But don't worry, I'll update as soon as I can. )_

_**Disclaimer**: We all know that I do not own any part of Naruto, so let's get on with it, shall we?

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**Chapter 3: "Seven-Minute Musing"**

Uchiha Sasuke had three goals in his life right now:

His long-term goal was to kill a certain man and avenge his clan;

His short-term goal was to become stronger;

His immediate goal was to bang his head mindlessly against the bed's headboard.

_Stupid, stupid Sasuke._

Actually he had thought about doing it to punish himself, had imagined cocking his head as far back as he could, focusing all his indignation and shame on the wooden panel like an enemy, and with one sharp crash, his world would go black, and he'd wake up in his own room, very far, FAR away from where _she_ was.

But that was just wishful thinking now, wasn't it?

Sasuke was still hunched over Sakura's bedside, his right arm still pinned under her weight, and his free hand brought over his face, covering his discomfited expression, a gesture someone such as himself rarely—if not never—displayed.

It's been only a few minutes after he found himself stuck in her room, but he had already grown restless. Outside, the rain was getting stronger. Streaks of light flashed occasionally, displaying the shadows of branches that swayed to and fro against boisterous winds.

Inside Sakura's room however, the dreadful weather was toned down into only a faint rattling of the window and the monotonous drumming of raindrops against the moist glass. Everything inside remained very tranquil.

Sasuke checked the alarm clock on Sakura's table, beside the small lamp. It was exactly half past one, roughly fifteen minutes since he left his place, and consequently around twenty hours since he last slept a wink. Almost immediately, he suppressed a yawn that tried to escape. He squeezed his eyes shut a few times; trying to fight back the tiredness that was gradually seeping into his body, effected by both his long training and the lassitude her tranquil room gave off.

Abstractedly, he glanced at other objects that crowded the table. There was a basket of green apples and oranges, most likely Kakashi's present from an earlier visit. He suddenly asked himself if Sakura liked green apples, mulling over the thought for a while. A card was propped up on the basket, with the words "**GET WELL SOON!**" written in bright bold letters, with a signature underneath.

It read, "from: N-A-R-U-T-O" in hasty black marker ink. There were light, yellow stains on the card, which he deduced were drops of broth from ramen he was slurping as he wrote on the card. That earned a sneer from Sasuke.

_Sloppy as usual, Naruto._

Then his eyes slightly widen when he realized,_ who was the sloppy ninja who froze like a dope and got stuck in Sakura's room?_

He had to get out of here, he thought. He checked the clock again. One thirty-five. He was tired, sleepy, and admittedly, hungry. The sweet tangy scent of apples and oranges had invaded his senses the instant he came inside, but he was unmindful of it…until now.

_Uchiha Sasuke's new immediate goal: raid her basket?_

Slightly embarrassed at his musing, and shook his head gruffly.

_No! I am NOT like Naruto! _He screamed in his head.

He found himself looking back to Sakura, who lay supinely, apparently very comfortable despite his arm being under her. She slept peacefully, though she shivered every once in a while. He stifled another yawn. Another minute had just passed by.

Finding his composure once more, his hand descended to his chin, and revealed his brooding, onyx gaze. He reexamined his situation carefully, and after he had considered their position, her physical condition and his mental state, he decided that the best option was the fastest one…

He would cautiously but quickly yank his arm free, run like hell to the window and get out before she could open her eyes. Never mind getting soaked.

Yes, not exactly elegant. But it will definitely work.

At that moment, Sakura stirred, giving Sasuke an opening.

_Now or never!

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**_question:_** I wanted to Sasuke to say _"hindi ako patay-gutom tulad ni Naruto!"_ in English. But I couldn't find a good translation of the word "patay-gutom." If anybody knows, please tell me! Thanks!

**_thanks:_** many many thanks to everyone who took time to read this fic, but most especially to the following readers! Thanks for the encouragement!

_Lone Sakura_– Glad you think it's interesting!

_Safrawr_ - /smiles/ thank you! I'm glad you think it's funny, very glad indeed!

sasukefurever – hmm, I'll try and see if that's possible in the later chapters, thanks for the suggestion! And yes, it will be SasuSaku to the end! Hell Yeah!

_little wolf blossom_ – Tormented Sasuke is very delicious reading material, isn't it? hehe. thanks.

_PrincessChii_ – I'll try not to get writer's block…haha. Yey, thanks for keeping Sasuke's OOC-ness in check.

_Zuan_ – I'll try to update as soon as I can.

_InuyashaObsessed101_ – Thank you for the review! I'm happy to know you loved the humor!

_daydreamer53221_ – wow, my first reviewer! your encouragement inspires me, thanks. Thanks also for reading my other work!


	4. Sweet Dreams Part 1

_**Author's Note:** this is an edited version of Chapter 4. I was sleepy when I typed the first draft (it was 3am). I hope this one is better. I changed the part about **Sakura's dream**, plus some sexy glares from Sasuke, hehe. So tell me what you think!_

_**Disclaimer**: We all know that I do not own any part of Naruto, so let's get on with it, shall we?

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**Chapter 4: Sweet Dreams (Part 1)**

Sasuke shadowed over Sakura's slumbering form. Serious eyes assessed the situation. His arm was still held down up to his elbow under her heaviness. But he had a plan now, an 'ingenious' scheme indeed. It was one hundred, no, one hundred ten percent foolproof.

The clock ticked.

_One thirty-seven AM_.

Sakura stirred. Sasuke felt the weight on his arm shift. He had less than an instant to carry out his plan.

_It's now or never!_

In one breath, Sasuke slid his right arm up to the back of her neck, providing himself just enough space to pull his limb free. It tingled at the sudden release of its load, like thousands of needles pricking him relentlessly. It was a good sign. It meant his plan was working, finally.

_Damn it, why didn't I think of this sooner? This is way too easy…_

Feeling triumph close at hand, Sasuke glanced at her with narrowed eyes. A sort of smugness lingered in them, the natural coldness glazing over handsome obsidians. It was a very sardonic gaze, one that had such finality and intensity that it would make _any female_ shrink and swoon at the same time. It wasn't cute in the least. It was definitely scary, but goddamned sexy.

If Sakura could see it, she'd probably melt on the spot. Unfortunately for her, she was unconscious, and his stare was not meant to woo her, but to mock her furtively.

_Thought you could keep me here, huh?_

Prompted by instinct perhaps, she shuddered under his fixed stare. He noticed it, but was indifferent to her response, claiming it was her illness that caused her to shiver, no doubt.

He felt so confident about the outcome—cocky even—that he almost smirked. He would've, since it was second-nature. Except he realized his only audience was oblivious to him. This wasn't the time for him to smirk. Instead, he slipped into his aloof façade and spared her from further ridicule.

Returning his full attention to his position, he exhaled.

…_Now I just have to pull myself free and I'm out…_

He mused. It would be a lifetime before he'd want to go back to Sakura's room again. He would forget about this whole incident—like it was some bad dream, one that didn't involve death or violence, but was certainly just as disdainful. Already, he could see himself lying down on his own bed. The thought of satisfying his rebelling stomach was so vivid he could nearly taste the food. Tomatoes and rice balls had never seemed more appetizing until this moment.

Then out of the blue, something happened.

"**STOP!**"

The voice shattered the stillness of Sakura's room. It was so loud, so angry and so startling that it rang intolerably in Sasuke's ears, ripping him away from his little delusion. Being so sure of himself just a split-second ago, the uproar caught him completely off-guard!

His wits went blank. As if he were intentionally following the order, he froze in his tracks, too surprised to move. For the first time in a long while, his mind panicked. He just couldn't believe it.

_Impossible! Did I wake her up?_

There was a flurry of blankets tossing in the air, white and yellow sheets hugging his eyes, blinding him momentarily. His query was answered with Sakura's left straight punch!

Still dazed but alerted by her assault, his body moved on its own, reflexes taking over him. He swung his head to dodge the attack. The blow missed him by a hair, her knuckles grazing his jaw, jolting him back to his senses.

_No way! I couldn't have woken her up…what the heck is going on!_

His head then whipped down to look at his teammate who still lay supinely on the bed. Ruffled blankets revealed clenched fists. Her brows furrowed, her slightly open mouth brought to a childish pout. But what surprised him were her eyes…they were closed shut!

_Wait a sec, she ISN'T AWAKE! She's…_

"I said STOP IT, Ino-pig!"

A lightning-fast right hook solidly connected with Sasuke's stunned expression.

_..She's dreaming!_

Sasuke's head recoiled at the impact. Humiliation mixed with pain, surging to his face, and instantly tinted his right cheek a bright red.

Following through her motion, with her right hand still in the air, Sakura rolled to her side, snagging even more of Sasuke's upper limb, pinning him up to his shoulder against her bed. He is pulled down by the weight, shaky knees dropping to the floor. He slumped by her side. His vision spun momentarily.

_Oww, that hurt! Gods, she can punch THIS hard?_

Then, another striking realization.

_No wonder Naruto's dumb as a rock sometimes…all his brain cells must be dead from her head-bashing._

The place fell into a hush once more, save for the muffled sounds of the rain from a distant window.

His free hand soon found his sore appearance, cupping the tender injury. He flinched at the touch, producing a small hiss at the bottom of his throat. He did not struggle to his feet, but instead continued to kneel beside her as he let the unharmed side of his face rest on the soft mattress. For a long while, Sasuke remained like this, welcoming the small comfort the silky bed sheets offered. His body was growing heavy. The fatigue from training had finally taken over him. Not only that, Sakura's little number on his face had brought down all the stars from heaven high. Lights twinkled in front of his eyes, making him lightheaded, distracted, and strangely oblivious. For a moment, he imagined he _was_ in heaven. It seemed real enough, except for one minor detail.

_Does heaven…smell like apples and oranges?_

He nearly smiled at the thought. But this wasn't the time for him to smile either. He was aware his situation hasn't changed at all. Sasuke still needed to get out, and soon. Slow eyes glanced up to check the clock again. He sighed deeply.

_one thirty-seven AM_

_What a long night._

His half-lidded onyx gaze wandered back to Sakura. She was suddenly quiet once more. Amid the shouting and the punching, she had rolled over him for a second time. Now she was curled in a fetal position near the edge of the bed, her head firmly resting on his arm. Her shoulders rose and fell rhythmically as she breathed. Warm, moist air from her nose brushed gently against the skin of his arm. It tickled him, making the hairs stand on end.

Astonishingly, he didn't appear irked at her in the slightest. He was _just a little_ thankful that she didn't wake up. That and the fact that he was too tired to be angry with her. She was still asleep, and that was all that mattered to Sasuke at the present.

A few seconds later, her breathing abruptly stopped. Sensing this, Sasuke tensed but remained still, bloodshot eyes jadedly looked towards her. He growled under his sleeve.

…_now what?_

"s..top…don' touch…him," The slurred words tumbled from her mouth softly. Sasuke raised a perfect brow, slightly amused at his companion.

_She's still dreaming. Hm, she never talked in her sleep during our missions. This is kind of weird. Annoying, too…in a cute kind of way._

_Hey…Did I just think that? _

"…pig, I…asked…first…" Her voice fell to barely whisper. Maybe her dream was ending. He still couldn't make out what it was about, though.

_A dream about fighting Ino? Wait, I think I know where this is going…this dream isn't about Ino at all. it's really about..._

"ne…Sasu…ke…kun?"

The way the syllables escaped her lips were so agonizingly slow that he seemed to hang on to them in anticipation, though it was very obvious to him that it _was_ HIS name she would call. The endearment was pronounced in a high-pitched, almost childlike tone, like pink cotton-candy while on a bench for two. A blush mysteriously forced its way to his cheeks, fleetingly making both sides of his face equally red. The way she said his name that night was _perfect_, he thought. _Perfect._

"wil…you..goutwid...me?" she asked shyly to her dream date.

There was a long pause.

A smile crept unto her lips. She spoke no more. The 'dream Sasuke' was apparently a bit more open to dating than he was. Did this mean he lost the opportunity of being Sakura's first date to a dream version of himself?

He shrugged uncomfortably. It was still him she dated in her dream, right? It was hard enough to be jealous of Naruto…but being jealous of himself?

Sasuke moved to tuck the edges of the muddled blankets under her once more, muttering a flat "Hn," as he finished.

Wearily collapsing at her side, he wondered if he would ever get out. It was a silly question, he knew, but for some reasons all his plans kept backfiring. Maybe there was such a thing as 'fate', he supposed. Neji often mentioned that. But for what reason would fate keep him trapped with Sakura? He didn't know the answer to his own inquiry, and quite frankly, he didn't really believe enough to care; he was too tired, too hungry, too frustrated, too pained, and now, too sleepy, to be concerned about 'fate' or 'reason.'

Sasuke closed his eyes, succumbing to deep sleep.

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_Thanks again to the following authors for reviewing my work! I never grow tired of replying to them!_

_laussica_ – Oh? you think he's sexy already at this point? hahahaha…

_Zuan_ - thank you! hope you will read on. )

_ligice76_ – I will try. But I may not be able to update this week due to exams.

_InuyashaObsessed101_ – About Naruto rubbing off on him…yeah I think Sasuke and Naruto do rub off on each other, although the anime doesn't expound on that. I'm happy you like that idea.

_Lone Sakura_ – I prefer to write shorter episodes because that's the way I write, hehe. I tend to come up with one idea or action per chapter, and then expand on that. But I do write more chapters to compensate for the length. I'm sorry if it seems too short for you. As for the romance part, I will put that in, eventually.

_daydreamer53221 – _thank you very much for always reading! )

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sasukefurever_ – oh yes, expect more embarrassing moments in this fic…thanks for the review!

_PrincessChii_ – well, I didn't think it was right for Sasuke to say that "patay-gutom" line at first, but I thought it would be funny. Besides, ABS CBN is always messing with characters' lines in all their dubs, why can't we? hehe.

_little wolf blossom_ – Haha, I think green apples are nice! I don't know of any anime character having/eating GREEN apples or oranges!


	5. Sweet Dreams Part 2

_Airen-kun: Would you believe our exam was moved because of bad weather?_

_Naruto & Sakura: LIAR!_

_Kakashi-sensei: Oh, you make worse excuses than I do! hehe._

_Airen-kun: No! It's all true!_

_Sakura: Aww, come on, I wanna see what happens next! Ne, Sasuke-kun? (I hope I get to glomp you in the end!)_

_Sasuke: …No. And how come you're so heavy in this story?_

_Sakura/blushes/ …maybe it's because you trained all morning before you visited? I don't know…_

_(Inner Sakura: But at least I get to sleep in your arms! Hell Yeah! Can't wait for the ending!)_

_Airen-kun: Anyway, let's get on with the next chapter._

**_Author's Note:_** _Sorry for the delay, guys. Our exam was moved, so I kind of extended my study period as well. Thanks for those who are read up to this point! I've reached 1500 hits! (yey!) I didn't even think I'd get 100, but there you go. Thanks so much to my reviewers, and double thanks to the subscribers and triple thanks to those who put me in the fave authors' list/sniff/ _

_Kohona Ninja Sasuke's Lover - hehe, actually Sasuke-kun DID fall asleep by her side. I think that was Chapter 4…Thanks for the review!_

_susakuru – thanks! Glad you liked the funny stuff…I find it harder to make people laugh than make them feel all 'angsty,' so thanks for the encouragement!_

_Uchiha Tsakare – Arigatou!_

_Drayearth-luvr– Yeah, he would probably stay outside…but I did give some explanation to his action in the previous chapters. Besides, that IS the plot of the story! Sasuke is known to do these out-of-character things once in a while in the anime. Thanks for the comment!_

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Silverchild of the winds – thank you very much for reviewing!_

_laussica – yes, you did mention that before…hehe. Thanks for reading on!_

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CrAzY-SiLLy-Me – thanks for the review! Hope you will be reading the rest of the story!_

_**Disclaimer:** Naruto is not mine, of course! That's a dream that will never be realized. /sigh/

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**Sweet Dreams (Part 2)**

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"…Sasuke-kun?" The tone was small and very timid. Hesitant fingers stroked his arm, coaxing him to open his lidded eyes. He remained motionless.

"Sasuke-kun?" The voice tried once more, this time a little firmer, but still soft to his ears. He felt something across his cheek, like feathers, brushing the stray strands from his face. It reminded him of something long forgotten, a childhood memory perhaps…it was so soothing that it was enough to urge himself to break away from his deep slumber and look for it. Finally, he opened his eyes.

He blinked a few times, his face still half-buried on the creamy sheets, his midnight-blue hair spilled like ink across the cloth. "Was I dreaming?" he asked himself privately. He put both hands on his forehead as he tried to recollect himself.

_Wait a minute,** both hands?**_

All of a sudden, he jumped, at last realizing what had occurred. He whipped his head to the bed in front of him, part of him now wishing that he _was_ just dreaming. No pink-haired girl lay asleep under the covers. Instead, she was sitting up straight, staring right at him in the same surprised manner.

"Oh, oh…I-I'm sorry Sasuke-kun…" Sakura stammered suddenly as she looked away, pulling the cover over her face to hide the redness that was filling it. She continued, not really knowing what to say, "I-um, didn't mean to wake you up…but…I thought…you looked uncomfortable…asleep like that…so I…"

Her voice trailed off. She bit her bottom lip and tried to keep herself from bursting with questions. She struggled to look calm, but her wide emerald eyes gave her away—they were sparkling with interest. (Inner Sakura screamed at the top of her lungs, _'What the hell is **Sasuke-kun **doing **here **at **this hour**? And didn't he have his arm around me just then? We looked so** sweet**! Hell yeah, true love wins out! Take that Ino-pig! Thank the gods for influenza!'_)

Immediately, Sasuke forgot his tiredness and got to his feet. Though she had not asked for an explanation, it was implicitly demanded by the look she gave him. He could almost see an enormous "?" above her head.

_Come on, think! I can't just leave now; what will she think of me? I have to make up an alibi, quick! ...Damn, this is hard. Sakura's really good at making excuses. I have to make this believable. I wish I could remember at least one of Kakashi's stupid lies right now. She's looking at me; I have to say something now!_

…_Wait, I got it_.

"It's the rain…" Sasuke lied simply, trying to make himself sound as cool as he could. He turned his back to her as he pretended to look out the window thoughtfully.

"…What do you mean, Sasuke-kun?" She inquired, tilting her head slightly in perplexity. Following his cue, she shifted her gaze to the pane. The weather had not changed much within the last hour; rain still poured hard, and the wind still pummeled the walls of the houses, shrieking against the glass of her window, the sounds outside dying out to mere raps and low-sounding whistles inside the safety of her room. Nonetheless, it was very dark and scary outside.

"I was training. On my way home I got caught in the storm, and I happened to pass by your house, so I slipped inside."

"You were training so late?" She asked almost as soon as he finished talking, curiosity getting the better of her at that instant. Sasuke threw a glance at the alarm clock. It was already three in the morning. He cocked his head back to stare at her intently, resuming his clever act.

"Yeah. Training." he answered bluntly, his eyes still fixed on her.

"But why didn't you go back to your place? It's not that far from my house, right?" Sakura asked again, a bit more cautiously, trying to sound as polite as possible this time. She bit her lip again and waited for a reply. He looked on at her, studying her actions. Maybe she felt that she was pushing it too far with her questions, he thought at the back of his head. It was strange how his tone of voice easily made _her_ feel uneasy instead of him, even if she had every right to ask him these questions. Furthermore, it was Sasuke who was in control of the conversation, and not Sakura. And even stranger that he had used the rain for his alibi, when he had cursed it a while ago. How ironic.

He retorted coldly, "We're all very prone to illness because of the last mission. I didn't want to get soaked and waste my time on a sickbed. So don't get me wrong, I just needed some shelter."

It seemed Sakura had lost her words after his harsh answer. He saw her bring her knees to her chest and hide a sigh. She finally answered with a sad smile, sniffing in between the phrases, "You're absolutely right. And it _really_ would be _pretty stupid and careless_ to let yourself get sick."

Sasuke somehow felt that her last statement wasn't meant for him at all. Was that self-pity she was trying to conceal under her covers? Her eyes seemed to have dulled almost instantly; the sparkles have faded into those deep green pools. He looked back to the window and exhaled. He didn't want her to feel bad about herself, even if he thought it _was_ her fault she was ill in the first place.

"Sakura," he started solidly, snapping her out of her depression, "Everyone gets sick sometimes. Ninjas are humans too." He told her without looking, and added an afterthought to make it safe, "Kakashi said that."

_I can't believe I'm quoting our jounin instructor. This has got to be the strangest night ever. At least Kakashi's words were good for something._

"…thank you." she smiled again, but it was a different smile from before. It looked like it worked. He breathed out deeply.

"Since you're not visiting right now, did you come earlier to visit me then?" she asked hopefully.

"No. I told you, trained the whole day," he answered, pausing for a moment before adding, "_and_ night."

"Oh, okay," she replied wistfully. (Inner Sakura griped, _'I don't buy that, Sasuke-kun! You can't be serious; you were sleeping on my bed! Doesn't that mean **something?**')_

"Sasuke-kun…" she called again.

"What?" He replied impatiently. Possibly he breathed out a little too early.

"How did you…well, your ar-"

"I'm too tired. Don't ask." He blurted out quickly to cut her off. Being asleep with his arm under her was too tricky to explain. He couldn't think of a good excuse. But what he just told her was the truth, though. He really was too worn out to rake his mind for more excuses.

She stared at him quietly. Finally, she answered "Alright."

It was obvious to him that she was still puzzled by the events, but it seemed she didn't want to prod on the topic any further. Maybe she didn't want him to feel like she was interrogating him, to make him feel unwelcome. That was good, he thought. After all, he was Uchiha Sasuke, not some pervert to be cautious of. He would never make a move on her like that, right?

"So…how long are you staying here then?"

"Not much longer. I can leave right now."

"WHAT? But it's like a storm outside. You can't! You said-"

"I changed my mind. I've been here for too long and the rain still hasn't stopped. I should get back anyway, so you can get rested." Now might be his _only_ chance, considering how everything else went horribly wrong. Never mind the storm, he said to himself. If he'd lived through this nightmare, then he'd live through bad weather.

"No, Sasuke-kun!" She protested suddenly. She forced herself to her feet. "You'll get sick too. Please don't go outside."

Completely ignoring her request, Sasuke turned and walked to the window. Sakura staggered wobbly towards Sasuke, and accidentally tripped on one of the blankets as she tried to reach him. Stumbling forward, she shut her eyes and waited for the floor to hit her face, but it never came. She raised her head.

"Sakura, what the heck are you doing?" Sasuke was holding her in his arms, their faces mere inches apart. He felt her hot breath caress his face, slightly tickling him. He suppressed the urge to let go, he knew Sakura was too weak to stand on her own. Her illness was apparently a little worse than he thought. Without waiting for her reply, Sasuke swept her off her feet and carried her back to her bed. Sakura blushed uncontrollably.

"S-sorry!" she finally managed to say. Sasuke bent over and laid her on the mattress gently, but she sat up and held his wrists. "P-please don't go, Sasuke-kun."

He muttered, "You're starting to annoy me."

"Please? Just until the rain stops? I promise I won't ask anymore questions."

"No, I'm going. Now lie down and rest," he ordered her, placing his hands on her shoulders, forcing her lie back.

"But Sasuke-kun I…" He gave her a disapproving look. "…Okay," she answered weakly with a nod.

"Good." He pushed her gently unto the mattress as he sat beside her. But surprisingly, the mattress was softer than it was a while ago. His miscalculation caused him to lose balance. He sank with her, his fingers still clutching her shoulders, his head started to droop forward.

"What the-?"

They kissed. Their eyes were wide open in astonishment. Her hand dug into his wrist. His stomach churned with butterflies. Sakura closed her eyes. He tried to let go of her and sit up, but his body wouldn't move. Her hands found their way to his face, cupping it. His mind screamed hysterically. She pulled him closer. Sasuke's heart went on a rampage.

_Move! Move!_

His body wouldn't budge an inch. Thoughts raced madly with confusion in his head. Why was this happening to him? Why couldn't he push himself away?

_This is an accident. She'd understand that, wouldn't she?_

A faint memory of his first kiss suddenly flashed in his mind. It was an accident, too…a terrible one. That time he remembered the feeling of disgust, hatred and his strong reflex to gag and kill. This was totally different.

_Was this what it really feels like to be kissed?_

He shook his head no mentally. He must not let this go on. His grasp around her shoulders tightened as he desperately tried to pull away once more. No **luck**. Out of frustration, he accidentally let out a sharp breath into her mouth. He never had any **luck** since this all started. It just wasn't his night.

A second passed by.

_How long has it been? _

He felt like they were moving in slow-motion. His heart pounded so erratically he could've sworn she could hear every beat. His eyes began to grow heavy again. What the hell was happening to him, he asked himself again. Why couldn't he tear himself away from this? Did he…like this? _No!_ He squeezed his eyes shut. He wasn't enjoying this…he wasn't! He couldn't be!

He heard himself moan.

_**Could he?**_

Finally, it was Sakura who broke the kiss. He reeled back and sat up, gasping heavily, swallowing air and saliva. Three seconds felt like forever for Sasuke as he stared at her wide-eyed and speechless. His lips tingled as he licked them. She tasted as sweet as apples. He was completely mesmerized by this new sensation. Sakura shyly placed a hand over her mouth. Both their faces were in deep shades of red.

Silence played on inside the room once more, allowing only the sound of Sasuke's erratic breaths to echo in her room.

"Sasuke-kun," she murmured moments later, her voice so tender that everything seemed to suddenly go deafly quiet, sending shivers up his spine "…you're so warm."

He blinked. His deep onyx eyes continued to stare at her in incomprehension. He was still captivated by that unfamiliar tingling in his mouth. Faintly worried by his lack of response, she sat up nuzzled her forehead against his and repeated, "I said you're warm…"

"…it was an accident." He let the apology tumble from his partly open mouth. His expression was bare, not out of lack of emotion, but because there were too many feelings convey on his pale face: annoyance, surprise, confusion, fear, warmth.

"I know," she replied sheepishly. Sasuke's face fell at her answer. "I won't tell anyone, I promise." (_"Inner Sakura: But you wouldn't expect me to shy away from that chance! This is the start of a new chapter in our lives! Go girl go!"_)

"I-I have to go." He muttered, disregarding what she just said. This was enough embarrassment for a lifetime, he berated himself mentally. He hopped off the bed quickly while Sakura looked on at him, anxiety painted on her still flushed face.

Suddenly the room began to spin. He stopped.

"I told you," she chided gently, "you might be coming down with the fever too."

"No way." He sat back near the end of the bed, his eyes losing focus as he stared at the window where he was supposed exit. He held his head, feeling the beads of cold sweat that were forming on his temples. He sat there for a while, waiting for his vision to recover.

He slumped back across the mattress angrily, its springs squeaking slightly at the force. Sakura flinched slightly as she continued to look at his profile from where she sat. He stared intensely the ceiling. She was right, he _was_ sick. And if he couldn't get up and get out of her damned room, what chance did he have of getting back to his house in the torrent?

He felt something come across his chest. He looked sideways to his left. It was Sakura, placing a blanket over him with shaky hands. He gazed at her, his frustration dissipating into her emerald green eyes. She was clearly worried about him, the way her brows were furrowed, the way her lips were closed into a pout.

"Sasuke-kun, I-I won't mind if you stayed here for a while. Really. Please just stay here until the rain stops." She hastily wrapped a blanket around herself as well. He looked at her thoughtfully, and then shifted his gaze back to the ceiling. He mulled over her suggestion for a few moments.

"Aa." He finally replied. He closed his eyes.

_If this is how things are going to happen, then I'll take them all on. I mean, we kissed already, what else could happen?_

The bedroom door flew open. Sasuke and Sakura whipped their heads towards the door.

_Hell no._

"Kakashi-sensei! Naruto!"

"Hello there, Sakura! We're on an emergency mission to hunt a pervert prowler. Hokage's orders. Said he likes pink-haired girls, so we went here as fast as we could. My, my, good evening to you to Sasuke." Kakashi's eyes rolled with mischief.

"SAKURA-CHAN! AHHH! What's Sasuke-teme doing in your bed! NoOoOoO. Gasp! Don't tell me…UCHIHA SASUKE…_You're_ the PERVERT PROWLER!"

"WHAT! DOBE! ARE YOU NUTS! Don't you dare use my name and those words in the same sentence again or I'll shut you up permanently!"

"Wait, Kakashi-sensei! I hear footsteps coming up the stairs."

"You're right Naruto."

"Mom! Dad!"

_Just kill me.

* * *

_

Sasuke jumped. Tired eyes surveyed the surroundings. He was still in Sakura's room. And Sakura was still asleep. It was four in the morning. He had slept a good two hours. It was all a dream.

_Unbelievable. That felt so real._

He thought deeply. Why did he feel so nervous about kissing Sakura in his dream? Did he really like it? He gulped loudly. No, it couldn't be. Dreams rarely do mean anything concrete anyway. He shrugged.

_It's just the stress getting to me, that's all. Yeah. I've been thinking too much._

He yawned, engulfing the cold air in her room. Maybe he was imagining things again, but her room felt a lot colder now. Then why did he feel so hot? Beads of sweat trickled down his temples. He shivered uncontrollably. He sniffed.

_Damn, I **really am** sick._

Suddenly, his nose twitched.

He tried to stop himself by holding his breath, but it was too late.

He sneezed. And sneezed. And sneezed.

The sound broke through the room like glass. Sakura moaned. He had awakened her; there was no doubt about it. Desperately, Sasuke tried to stand up, but he was still pinned to the bed. He cursed under his breath. How was he going to get out of this one now?

Then, a stroke of genius.

Summoning his strength, he flung his other arm around her, briefly hugging her. Bringing his hands together he moved them at lightning-speed. And then he whispered in her ear, "Henge no Jutsu."

Sakura's eyes fluttered open.

* * *

-tbc-**_

* * *

_**

author's note: _I've edited some part of the story already, please reread it if you guys have time! Is it better than the other one? Thanks!_

_**henge no jutsu** – is a type of genjutsu (illusion technique)that enables someone to transform into another person or object._

_I wanted to write about handseals they use when doing henge no justu (because 'moving the hands quickly' sound so lame! Hehe). Does anyone know the sequence? Please tell me! Thanks_.


	6. Squish Me Not!

_**Author's Note:** Sorry for the late update…I haven't had time to write the next chapters because of –yes, you guessed it – more exams. September will be such a breather after all this. Please feel free to put in some suggestions for the previous chapters. )_

_My eternal thanks to the following readers:_

_laussica_ – _haha…that would turn this into an M rated fic then? Hehe…we'll see, we'll see. _

_InuyashaObsessed101 – if you think they actually kissed, then I have accomplished my aim in that chapter. Hehe, thanks. I'll (try to) see to it that they kiss for real in the end._

_xelagirl2- yes, ako po ay isang pinoy. There are LOTS of Filipino authors lurking in this site! I live in Mandaluyong City. Thanks for the comments!_

_happy-yume – I will…when I get my inspiration back, hehe._

_Silverchild of the winds – was it too sweet? I thought I should make it waffy since the last ones were lacking. And, I DO LEAVe the capslock on too sometimes…HEHE, that makes three stupid people._

_daydreamer53221 – I'll try to update as soon as I can. But these days I'm having writer's block…exams do that to you, you know. Haha._

_Kohona Ninja Sasuke's Lover – please read the end note of CHAPTER 5…I've included the definition of Henge No Jutsu. Thanks for asking!_

_Zuan - Um…I'm getting to it on the next installment. I just hope it doesn't turn too corny. Hehe._

_CrAzY-SiLLy-Me – Yeah. That's why it's entitled that way SWEET DREAMS (part 2)..haha, I hope you enjoyed reading it, even if it was just Sasuke's dream._

_Crystal Renee – Hey there! Thanks for reading up to this point. Hope you'll stick around to read until the ending!_

_PrincessChii – funky hormones? Sweatdrops I never thought of it that way…hahaha._

_**Disclaimer:** How many times do I have to say that Naruto is not mine! The envy is killing me!

* * *

_

_**Chapter 6: Squish Me Not!

* * *

**_

Sallow light flooded Sakura's heavy eyes as they fluttered open. She squinted painfully when the yellow rays penetrated her pupils, causing her vision to become hazy – shadows and shapes swirled and swayed in front of her until everything came into focus shortly after. She was alone in her quiet little room.

Drowsily, she raised her head and peered from her covers to look outside the window. It was raining furiously, much to her surprise. But that probably wasn't the noise that woke her up, she thought. In fact, it wasn't a noise…more like, a voice.

That's right. It was a familiar tone that tickled her ear.

"Sasuke-kun…" she said, almost inaudibly. Slowly, she sat up and leaned back on the headboard, her back cushioned by the pillows. She eyed the bare wall that faced her bed, watching her motionless shadow as she contemplated what had just happened. Sakura pondered if she really had just imagined his voice, or, if reality permitted, that Sasuke really was there for a split-second. It seemed harder for her to believe the former idea, since she was sure she _felt _the words touch her ears. But then again what could Sasuke be doing in her room so early in the morning? No, that would be ridiculous, she told herself. Even weirder, what he said exactly was a mystery to her. She barely heard it. Was it "Home in a jiffy?" or "Hanging a bit?" She sighed heavily. Sakura was clueless…and felt very silly. It could not have been real. She looked around her room. There was no raven-haired boy anywhere. She was alone. No, that could not have been real.

She wrapped her hands around her neck. Maybe it was the fever was causing her to hallucinate? She recalled having read of such cases in a medical journal she happened to come across back then in the academy. Yes, that would be a more rational explanation.

She exhaled again. She had no idea what she was getting at exactly. Right then the window rattled, and as if the temperature suddenly dropped, she embraced herself tightly and curled her toes to fight the shivers that ensued. She hated waking up. Who cared about reality right now? She was having such a nice dream…

That's right, she had been dreaming of his black prince again. She continued to watch her shadow, its head titled slightly as she pieced back faint recollections.

* * *

"_Sasuke-kun!" they chorused as the boy entered the scene of a partly filled classroom. She looked back to her rival, but she wasn't in her seat anymore._

"_**STOP!**" she yelled, but she was too late._

_Wasting no time at all, the blond genin had run down to him and flung her arms around him, giving Sasuke her best sky-blue puppy-dog look. It was immediately returned by a cold stare from the Uchiha genius._

"_I said stop it, Ino-pig!" she screamed, and no sooner was there beside the uninterested boy as well, struggling to unlock Ino's arms from his neck. Ino, wanting to tease her even more, gave the decisive blow- she leaned into Sasuke, meaning to plant a kiss on his cheek. The classroom buzzed._

_Sakura snapped._

_She aimed for her face with a left straight punch, but Ino caught her fist easily. Her rival smiled mockingly, which angered her even more. Maybe it was that anger that made her right hook so much faster, and it connected with Ino's glass jaw. There was a puff of smoke and Ino disappeared. It was a bunshin, just a clone._

_She heard a sardonic giggle from her back, making her jump away for distance. Ino remained standing there in a relaxed stance. She was mocking her again. Once more, she walked towards the raven-haired boy._

"_Stop it I said!" Sakura rebuked furiously. "Ino-pig, that's not fair. I asked first!"_

_Ino stopped and turned around to face her. "Oh really?" she said dramatically. "You think Sasuke-kun would care if you're first? Well go ahead then. Let's see what Sasuke-kun says." Ino made her way back to her seat and rested her amused and dainty face on both hands, her eyes fixed on Sakura. "Come on. This will be fun to watch. You know what he'll say"_

"_Hmp!" sakura stuck out her tongue at her, not minding the small crowd that watched on. She walked towards her prince, who stood aloof as he boredly smoothed down the wrinkles from his shirt. She gathered her courage and gulped down the lump in her throat._

"_Ne…Sasuke-kun?" The boy shifted his onyx gaze to her. Her eyes darted down to the floor as she fidgeted and wound her fingers unstoppably. His expression was unreadable, but she had his attention. She must show confidence, she told herself. Sasuke would want to see self-assurance. She looked him straight in the eyes._

"_Will you…go out with me?" She managed to say it without batting an eyelash or stuttering. 'Oohs' and 'don'ts' from jealous boys and girls droned the classroom. Sasuke blinked once, but it was as if he did not hear her at all. He simply turned away. The whole classroom seemed to go dark, until there was just him and her under a spotlight._

"_No thanks." He finally replied in a low voice, just loud enough for only the two of them to hear. Sakura lowered her head, his voice echoing in her mind. She had expected this answer, she thought._

_Then, a fleeting remark caught her ears, "Maybe next time."_

_The words stunned her. She looked up to see his retreating back, one hand waving back to her as he walked away, disappearing into the darkness._

_She smiled. A next time was good enough for her. Definitely good enough. Her feet spurned her to run after him…

* * *

_

And then she was back in her bed.

She grabbed the pillow next to her and hugged it tight. "Oh Gods," she muttered, Sasuke-kun smelled so nice in her dream—subtly reminiscent of citrus and green leaves—just like this pillow, she said inwardly as she buried her face into it and breathed in. "And his shirt," she added, "oh, it was so wonderful to touch." Just like this pillow, she thought, nuzzling her head into the cushion and falling sideward with a happy sigh. "Oh, Sasuke-kun…"

You're just like this pillow—

Seconds later, Sakura's eyebrows shot up her wide forehead, almost touching her hairline. Clutching the mysterious object in both hands, she raised it into the air. She threw it a suspicious gaze. Her brows met in confusion. "Now where did _you_ come from?" she asked. Of course, the pillow didn't answer back.

But she didn't notice the large sweatdrop that had formed behind it. Tranforming into a pillow wasn't the best option…but it was the ONLY option, given their proximity a while ago. He had planned of sneaking out when she had fallen asleep again, which would unfortunately seem to be longer than he had expected.

"Hmm…" She turned the pillow over and over, occasionally feeling and fluffing it, looking for any note that may have been left inside the cover. When she found nothing, she smoothed the cushion once more. She noticed its resemblance to Sasuke. It was long and rectangular, firm but soft, with a dark blue cover. It even had an Uchiha fan symbol on one side! She almost laughed when she saw this.

"I wonder if…?" She laid her hands on it again. "I feel Sasuke-kun's chakra from this pillow."

_She's on to me._

"I knew it!" She grabbed the cushion and stared at it intensely. Sasuke felt as if all the colors had drained from his body.

"You're from Sasuke-kun, aren't you?" she smiled proudly. The pillow almost fell out of her arms in relief. She hugged it so tight that it almost squeezed the life out of him. "I knew it! Sasuke-kun came to visit me! Aww, I wish I had been awake to see him. Thank you so much Sasuke-kun." She stroked its blue fabric fondly, the way one would stroke a pet for being good. Gentleness brimmed from her eyes. "I'm so happy, everyone came to visit." She glanced at the small table where the presents from her other teammate and teacher rested.

RUMBLE.

"Oh, was that me?" she asked herself, surprised. "Funny, I don't feel hungry at all. Anyway, let's see…apple or orange?"

With poor Sasuke still in her arms, she moved her swung her legs over the bed to grab an orange from Kakashi's basket. She took out Naruto's card as well and placed it on the bed. Slumping back down on the soft mattress, Sakura started peeling the apple while she rested her chin on him.

The moment her fingernail scratched at the orange peel, the scent wafted towards Sasuke, making him even more frustrated. It was hard for him to concentrate with Sakura literally crushing him, the fever draining him, and now this stupid piece of fruit she was peeling in front of him was driving him mad. "This is so yummy." Sasuke wanted to roll his eyes.

_Give me a break, Sakura._

A few minutes later Sakura had already taken a segment and placed it in her mouth. She opened the Naruto's _Get Well Soon_ card and read it between munches.

* * *

**My dear Sakura-chan!**

**How are you?**

**I hope you're feeling better now. I'm sorry I wasn't able to help you in our last mission. Maybe that's why you got sick. But ne, ne, please get well soon! I hope this letter helps at least. I didn't eat at Ichiraku's so I could but this card for you! They say when you read what it says over and over, it actually makes you feel better mentally, then your body sort of gets tricked into feeling better...or something like that…**

**Aack! I'm running out of space! Anyway please eat lots and don't work yourself up. I always eat ramen when I feel bad, you should try it:D**

**The greatest ninja in Konoha,**

**Uzumaki Naruto**

**PS. Kakashi-sensei said we're going to train our asses off when you get better. Um, so enjoy yourself, even if you are sick. Ne? Hehehe. ;-)

* * *

**

Squirt.

"Aww…I did it again." She cried in exasperation. Her last bite had forced some of the orange juice to spurt unto the card, leaving small round yellow marks on the white paper. She tried her best to wipe the stains away with her little finger, but it was in vain. "Oh, I'm so sorry Naruto. And you even skipped Ichiraku's today just to give me this card."

…_So that's where those marks came from._

After she finished the oranges, Sakura stood up and took the card, and propped up carefully once more beside her teacher's goodie basket. Her hands were a little sticky from eating. She didn't want to get any stains on her brand new pillow. So, very slowly, Sakura let the cushion drop from her arms and onto the mattress as she turned towards the bedroom door. In a few moments Sasuke heard a click. She was gone.

POOF!

Immediately, Sasuke bolted towards the window and opened it. But before he left, he decided to cast one more jutsu.

Sakura came back shortly after. The room was exactly how she left it. She crept into her bed and hugged the Uchiha pillow. So soft, she murmured to herself. She gave it a good hug and laid down, instantly falling asleep. "Goodnight Sasuke-kun."

Under the fading drizzle, a shadow from outside her window moved. The past few hours inside Sakura's room was certainly unforgettable. He looked on inside. Everything was like before he entered, except for the smile that was playing on her lips as she slumbered. He felt like a long battle had finally ended and only he knew what really happened.

And it would stay that way, he thought.

The first rays struck his tired but peaceful face. The streaks of light pierced through the great billowing clouds. His deep calm eyes glowed faintly as droplets of water on his face reflected the sunlight. Yes, he felt peaceful, and he cherished that sensation for a moment. That was the reason he sneaked inside, wasn't it? His anxiety had left him finally.

Taking one last look, he placed one hand on the window. With a sigh of relief, he greeted back under his breath. "Good morning, Sakura."

He was going to sleep well today.

* * *

-Tbc-

* * *

_**Author's Notes: **Well, Sasuke finally got out! But the story is not yet finished._ _Thanks for reading!_


	7. Story Repeats Itself

_**Author's Note: **I'm very sorry if I seem to be updating a little slowly. I'm still pretty busy with schoolwork and stuff with my org at UP, so thanks for bearing with the delay._

_Um, the story is parodical to the phrase "HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF." __If you have any questions or confusion from the last chapter, this one will answer them all, hopefully. Thanks to those who asked via submitting reviews._

_I've also edited chapter 6 since I was commented for OOCness. Thank you very much for telling me. I hope it's not that OOC anymore._

_sasukefurever__ – I am hoping this chapter is not disappointing._

_Silver Kitsune6291__ – about Sasuke leaving Sakura a pillow…that is only half-right. /wink/ Thanks for reading!_

_YingYang-chan__ - I'm sorry I've been very busy lately._

_Zuan__ – Thank you very much!_

_CrAzY-SiLLy-Me__ – Hey thanks for the compliment! As for the "Sasuke pillow," if you will read the last few paragraphs, Sasuke performed one more jutsu (a genjutsu to be precise) before he exited Sakura's room. That is a hint to your question. The answer lies there._

_Millie-chan__ - Thank you for the good review!_

_psychedelic aya__ – Oh yes, the Sasuke pillow thing should be a fad…they should release a merchandise on that…hehehe._

_xelagirl2__ – likewise. Thanks for the review._

_lyninese__ – That would be a nice idea now, wouldn't it? Thanks for reading!_

_IsLandChIck3__ – I'm sorry for the delays. Yes, he curses a lot in the first chapter…actually I was trying very carefully not to include the bad words because of the rating, so I ended up with "curse this and that" for most of his lines._

_InuyashaObsessed101__ – if you read this chapter your question will be answered…hopefully. Hehe. Thanks for reading on!_

_Akatsuki Blaze__ – thanks for revewing! Thanks for the encouragement!_

_happy-yume__ – thank you! About the pillow-making jutsu, I do have an expalantion for that in this chapter. _

_laussica__ – I don't have any Sasuke-pillows, unfortunately. And all my pillows smell nice…sweatdrops_

_Uchiha Tsakare__ – thanks for wishing me luck on my exams! That is so touching!_

_XxFadedSakuraxX__ - thanks for reading! Hope you will enjoy this chapter too!_

_PrincessChii__ – arigatou. Cuteness seems to be the theme of this fic, ne?_

_Silverchild of the winds__ – Sakura's POV was pretty hard to insert because it was supposed to be Sasuke's story…but there you go._

_rayearth-luvr__ – edited the OOCness, and yes, I think it is possible to turn into a pillow using henge no justu. Naruto was able to transform into a windmill shuriken in one of the series, a pillow whould be easy! Hehe._

_daydreamer53221__Chixon__Crystal Renee__ – thanks for reading!_

_little wolf blossom__ – wow, two minutes after I posted the last chapter, you've already read it! Thanks!_

_**Disclaimer: **I and a bazillion other people absolutely do not own Naruto. If anyone tells you otherwise, kindly shove his/her face to your monitor right now.

* * *

_

**_Chapter 7: StoryRepeats Itself

* * *

_**

Sparrows flew happily across the blue sky. Without a cloud in sight, the morning sun shone brilliantly in the crystal clear horizon. As this radiant sphere stood still over Konoha, a familiar scene was repeating itself somewhere. Except for a few differences from the previous conversation, it was de javu.

"What? Sasuke-kun has influenza?" an exasperated pink-haired ninja cried frantically to his silver-haired teacher as their yellow-haired teammate jumped in surprise at her sudden shriek. Even the sun seemed to have trembled at her response.

It has been two days since Team 7 last met for their daily training and mission. That time, their jounin instructor decided to postpone their activities because of their female teammate having come down with a very bad case of the flu. Now he had another problem to deal with. On the small bridge, Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi continued their meeting.

"You know you guys are really making it harder on yourselves, delaying our training like this." He added as he ran a hand through his unkempt hair and heaved a sigh.

And I thought only I had 'delay problems,' it would seem it's rubbing off on the group's training sessions as well.

Kakashi was actually a little upset with the news himself, but the two genins were too busy fussing over the topic to notice that he was not even reading his Icha Icha Paradise. His students stood opposite him, a very hysterical Sakura on his left, and a slightly apathetical Naruto on his right.

"Poor Sasuke-kun…all alone and sick in bed…" She clasped her hands together and looked up at the sky wistfully.

"He's got it pretty bad, from what I saw yesterday," their instructor added in a somewhat casual voice as he shifted from his leaning position on the railing. "It's quite a surprise to me as well, Sakura. I didn't think Sasuke would get sick the day you got better." He said as his one eye watched a sparrow that was nesting on a tree nearby. "I know Sasuke would train with us even if he wasn't feeling well, but I told him to can the idea, for his own good."

Upon hearing the end of his teacher's report, Sakura's eyes started to brim with tears. Naruto frowned, voiced a loud "Hmp!", and crossed his arms over his inflated chest. Kakashi noticed this, and though still slightly disappointed, just had to smile at this—their childish displays were amusing to him as always. Of course, they were still oblivious to his presence.

Sakura started seeing images of Sasuke lying in his bed, like those in old films where the picture was sepia-toned.

* * *

"_Sakura…" he called hoarsely. His back hunched over as he started coughing loudly. He squeezed the blankets as he wheezed. "Sakura…please…"_

"_Sasuke-kun!" she cried as she rushed to his side. His hands were clammy bone-white, his eyes had dark cirles from sleepless nights. "I'm here."_

"_Sakura…now that you're hear I know I'll get better."_

"_Oh my poor Sasuke-kun…"_

_He takes her hands in his and guides them to his face. Sakura leans into him—

* * *

_

"But Sakura-chan, you shouldn't worry so much about that **Sasuke-jerk**!" Naruto, who was unable to contain his envy over his crush's dramatic reaction, immediately started barrage of protests, awakening Sakura from her daydream.

A vein popped up from under her cherry tresses.

Unaware of what he had just done, Naruto continued to air his thoughts, "I mean, Kakashi-sensei and I just saw him two days ago and he was just peachy. I bet he's just trying to skip training because he's a **scaredy-cat **who's afraid that he'll get a whooped."

Another vein popped up, and it was twice as large as the first one. Kakashi's one eye widened slightly when he noticed this, but said nothing. Let's see how many lumps Naruto will get this time, he mused.

"That Sasuke is **such a weak baby**!"

In a twinkling, Sakura landed a good smack on his head.

"OW! But Sakura-chan!" Naruto said teary-eyed while he sat nursing a lump that seemed bigger than his own skull.

Oh, just one hit? Hahaha, but it's still funny.

"Sasuke-kun is not a jerk, not a scaredy-cat, and not a baby," she scolded Naruto as he massaged the back of his head. Yes, she was unquestionably better, all three of them thought to themselves. Finally, Sakura eyed him and uttered a small resentful "Hmp!" before looking away. She would never allow anybody to badmouth Sasuke within earshot if he wasn't there to hurt them himself.

'"Hm, it seems Sakura seems to have fully recovered," their teacher said, interrupting his pupils. Sakura and Naruto stopped and looked on at him curiously.

"Maybe we should train today, even without Sasuke. After all, that is what I promised. Isn't that right, Naruto?" The blond ninja could tell his sensei was giving one of those playful smiles again under that mask. It looked like they won't be getting out of this hell after all, Naruto thought.

"It's settled then. Let's head to the forest." All three walked through the bridge and beyond the town square, towards the woodland.

As they walked, Naruto noticed Sakura far behind them. He slowed his pace until he was beside her. When she still hadn't noticed him after a few moments, he decided to ask, "Sakura-chan," he said worriedly, "something wrong?"

"Eh?" She replied, taken aback by the interruption.

"What are you thinking about then? You looked pretty serious."

Sakura paused. She put her hands on her waist, tilted her head, and looked distantly, a pose Naruto recognized his intelligent teammate would do instinctively whenever she was deep in thought. Imitating her, Naruto put a hand on his chin and narrowed his eyes.

"Well?" He asked a few moments later.

"No, it's nothing." She finally replied. She smiled at him, waving him off. "on the contrary, Naruto, I'm very happy."

"Huh? And why is that?"

"Well," she replied, placing a finger on her chin thoughtfully. "It's…"

"It's…what?"

"…a secret" she giggled playfully and walked right past his baffled teammate. "Don't just stand there Naruto, Kakashi-sensei is way ahead of us already!" Naruto snapped out of his puzzlement, half-nodded and jogged after her.

"You're not telling me?"

"No."

"Come on Sakura-chan! What is it?"

_What the heck was she smiling for?

* * *

_

"Achooo!" Sasuke wearily flung the blanket over his aching head and closed his eyes again. The air was unbearably cold to his skin, but under the sheets, he could hardly breathe. Another sneeze later he propped himself up with his elbows and struggled to sit up.

He had spent most of yesterday and today between sitting up and lying down under the covers. But no matter how hard he tried, the discomfort would not go away. He exhaled noisily in irritation.

_This is why I hate this place so much._

Restlessness, his other constant companion in the cold, lonely room, was once more nagging him to get up and do something.

_Waste of time_, it whispered repeatedly, increasing his annoyance.

There was no doubt that the raven-haired boy wanted nothing more than to miraculously stand up and walk away from this god-forsaken room. But with his shaky arms and aching limbs, his body was too weak to follow his heart's bidding.

_Weak—_How he loathed that word. It disgusted him to think that one with perfect health and fitness such as himself could easily fall victim so to a tiny virus. It grounded him to the reality, that despite his uncanny skills and iron will, he was just as everyone else – possessing a body susceptible to illness, and more importantly, a mind prone to error.

_I would've just ended up with a cold if I had stayed away from Sakura that night. Going there was a mistake._

When he found out that the influenza virus was extremely contagious and airborne, he realized that he had contracted it from Sakura. So there he was, where he least expected himself to be, sick in bed. Moments later, he heard the heavy door slide ajar. A lone figure peeked from the entrance.

"Sakura…" He said throatily, sounding a little calmer than he intended to.

_So she was feeling better now._

"Good afternoon, Sasuke-kun," his teammate greeted warmly. "I came here as soon as training was over." She smiled when Sasuke nodded in acknowledgement, and quietly closed the door behind her. Sakura wore a pink jacket over her genin uniform, and held a large paper bag in one hand. She twirled slowly as she entered the room—white walls and white courtains surruounded them and gave a very sterile feeling, the faint smell of disinfectants loomed in the atmosphere. A single open window provided occasional warm afternoon breezes.

"You know, I was really surprised when Kakashi-sensei told me that you were actually here at the hospital instead of at your place. But I almost didn't believe my ears when he said you checked yourself in at the clinic yesterday…I thought you hated hospitals."

"I do." He replied gruffly, rubbing his throat as he spoke. "But I'd rather be here where I can be left alone that back at my apartment."

Sakura paused for a moment to read between the lines. Sasuke threw a glance at the last rays of sunlight that peered from the window as they moved across the tiled floor.

After he left Sakura that morning two days ago, he somehow managed to get home despite his feverish condition. When he got back, he merely threw his soaked shirt to one corner of his bedroom and instantly fell asleep when his face hit his bed. Some time later, he woke up from a fit of sneezing. Kakashi was leaning over his window ledge, scratching his head sadly. Around that time as well, a horde of his fans had gathered outside his apartment and were causing a ruckus. Apparently, some of his loyal stalkers had spread rumors that he was _fatally ill_ when he failed to show up on their daily "Sasuke-Whereabouts" schedule for a whole day. The squealing, the screaming, the wailing...it was agonizing. What else could he do?

"At least I know they can't bug me here." He added before sneezing.

She nodded sympathetically. "Well, I did see a few dozen of them downstairs at the lobby. They were asking the nurses for your room number. I'm glad Kakashi-sensei already told me which room you were staying in. I had to be careful though, I didn't want them following me to your room."

Sasuke tore his gaze from the floor and gazed at her shortly. Her face was a little pale, but her eyes lit her expression with such cheerfulness that she seemed perfectly all right.

"Oh," she said suddenly, her eyes widening with surprise.

"What?"

"I forgot to ask you, silly me. How are you feeling?"

_What's up with her? _

_Is she trying to be cute with me? _

_What the heck is she smiling for?_

"Feh. I'll live." He answered after taking a deep breath.

Sakura took a seat beside him and lay her hands at the edge of the bed. For a long while, neither of them spoke. There were moments when Sakura wanted to say something, but her tongue would stick to the roof of her mouth. She was there for a reason—it was more than just to visit him—she wanted to tell him something important. She had practiced her lines over and over in her mind on her way to the hospital, but somehow she lost the words again.

Surprisingly, it was Sasuke who finally broke the stillness.

"You should go home soon. I don't want you hanging around here for too long. You might get a relapse." He spoke slowly, swallowing after each line. He looked at her, waiting for her reaction. From the look in her eyes, she seemed to agree with him. But her mysterious smile never left her lips.

"Sasuke-kun," she replied. "I want to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"I want to say thank you. Thank you for..."

"For what?" a small pitch of anxiety had made its way from the pit of his stomach to his throat. He waited in anticipation.

"Thank you for…"

_Thank you for visiting me in my room when I was sick. It took me a few moments to notice. You used 'Henge no Justu' didn't you? I found that out the moment I felt your charka coursing through the pillow. But I pretended not to know. And when I deliberately left you so you could escape that night, you did '__Kokohi no Jutsu__' and changed one of my own pillows to look like you. And you stayed outside my window until I pretended to close my eyes and fall asleep. I knew that when I wake up the next morning I would not find that blue pillow beside me anymore, and I would think of it as a dream. But I didn't care. I saw you put your hands against the glass, and I wanted so much to hold it and tell you how truly happy I was. You put so much effort to keeping it secret that I just couldn't say the words—I can't tell you that I knew all along. But I want to thank you. Thank you for caring, Sasuke-kun._

"..for taking care of me. You, Naruto, and Kakashi-sensei. You guys always watch over me, I'm very lucky to be part of this team."

"Is that it?" He asked in a relieved tone.

"Um…yes, I guess." She brushed the stray strands from her face. "And I brought you something."

Sakura handed the paper bag to Sasuke, who eyed her suspiciously before turning the bad upside down on his lap. A pink square pillow, a thick comforter, some anti-congestion medicine, and a box wrapped up in red cloth with white circles.

"What's all this for?"

"Well, I know it's hard for you to get some rest here. The medicine is for the stuffy nose. I brought my pillow and quilt since it helped me sleep better when I was sick. And that," she said, pointing to the box, "is dinner."

"Sakura…"

She looked back at him with a smile and answered, "I'll see you tomorrow then, Sasuke-kun. Have a good night's sleep, ok?" The door slid shut.

After placing the soft pillow and comforter on his bed, Sasuke slowly unwrapped the box.

_Salmon stuffed tomatoes? Did she cook this herself for me?_

Sasuke glanced outside the window and saw the pink-haired girl bouncing happily homewards. Maybe it was a mistake to go into her room, but it was all worth it, he thought. And maybe, just maybe, if fate permitted him, he'd be crazy enough to do it again.

History would definitely repeat itself.

* * *

-End-

* * *

_**Author's Note:** Well, that is the end! I wanted to keep this no longer than Seven chapters. Thanks to everyone who read my story. I will be working on my other fiction now. I will add a **BONUS **chapter when I get the time to write it._

_**Information:**_

Kokohi no Jutsu - False Place Technique (**Genin Level)**  
- Kokohi no Jutsu is a simple Genjutsu technique which changes the appearance of a nearby object.

-Taken from this site (http/s3.


	8. BONUS CHAPTER

**_Author's Note_**: _For the people who finished this fiction. And for the 95 reviews/comments/suggestions…THANK YOU! Reading them is what makes writing worth the trouble and the headache. (Aww, I'm getting all gushy, hehe.)_

_I'm forever grateful to the following authors/readers:_

_ XD - insanely happy smilie means "extra thanks!" _

_Chixon  
CrAzY-SiLLy-Me XD  
daydreamer53221 XD  
Innocent-Hope  
inuyashafangirl333 XD  
InuyashaObsessed101 XD  
IsLandChIck3  
happy-yume XD  
little wolf blossom XD XD XD  
Honou no Megami  
Kitsune-nin  
Konoha Ninja Sasuke's Lover XD  
laussica XD  
ligice76 XD  
LuCkY-SiZzA XD XD  
lyninese  
Millie-chan  
MissxRae XD  
Painted Turtle Shell  
PrincessChii XD XD XD  
psychedelic aya XD XD  
Sakura-Girl 2005  
sasukefurever XD XD  
Silverchild of the winds XD XD XD  
Silver Kitsune6291  
Tank XD  
tianne-chan  
Uchiha Tsakare XD  
xelagirl2  
XxFadedSakuraxX XD  
Yachtzee  
YingYang-chan  
Zuan XD_

_I'm really lacking my muse to write anything concrete. I haven't gotten around to finishing my half-draft of "A TIME FOR EVERYTHING" yet…sigh._

_Characters will be OOC here, especially Sasuke…you have been warned._

_**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" is not mine.

* * *

_

**Sasuke's Bedside Story**

**BONUS CHAPTER:**

**SASUKE'S DINNER STORY!

* * *

**

"So?" A tiny voice asked excitedly.

"Hn?" The reply meant to tease the other, and did so very well. The tiny voice asked again, nearly screaming its head off, "SO WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?"

"Yeah. You never tell us the ending." a second person chimed in, in a half-irritated tone, strangely reminding the man that he was no doubt, like himself.

Unable to snap out of his short musing, the smaller voice cried out impatiently, "Hmp! You're unfair!" At that, he saw the little thing pout, cheeks inflated, as if it threatened to suffocate itself if he didn't bend to it's will.

He simply shrugged and smirked. Two can play this game, all be it a little too silly to be picking on someone almost one-sixth his age, and knowing he'd get in trouble for this later.

Hey, if your kids were this cute, wouldn't you?

It was well into the evening, and the three of them sat on a familiar bed, in an even more familiar room.

_Sakura's old room. _

Except for the new wallpapers that decked the walls, not much has changed at all, surprisingly. The yellow lamp was still there. And so was the small wooden table at one side of the bed. And that one window.

_That would always be there_, he thought as he looked at it thoughtfully.

The two children were already under the covers—the girl half-tucked in and half-ready to sleep, and the boy sitting up straight, his jet black hair a little more messed up than usual. The brooding father sat next to his daughter, his back facing them as his eyes swept across the room and rested on a dim corner.

Being ignored again by his oddly nostalgic parent, the girl crawled out from under the covers to shake his dad's shoulder gently. "Argh! Oto-chan teba, tell us what happened already! Please?" It would seem her daughter had dropped her mock-anger and decided to charm her way to get him to talk.

_She really takes after Sakura, doesn't she?_ He was rather proud of himself at realizing this.

The man shifted to face them, the mattress squeaking lightly. He asked, "Where were we?"

"The part where you pick up the blankets." The boy answered, rather quickly. Usually he was good in hiding his thrill, but when it came to stories about his parents…well, he may be their parents' ultimate fan.

He had heard every legend, comedy and tragedy: from the start of Team 7 to his father's stories about Hidden Sound, to how her mother once cured the Rokudaime, the Sixth Hokage, from a rare poison. (Her mother had told him the Rokudaime was actually his godfather, but he found it hard to believe from the way his dad sneered, saying 'your mom said that, not me.')

He admired his parents. And he was proud to be the son of Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura—two of Konoha's strongest nins; and with his sister, they were his most cherished treasure. (He was also proud to be Uzumaki Naruto-sama's godson…if her mother really was telling the truth about the Rokudaime being his dad's best friend.)

After a long moment, the girl whined again, "So?"

"…Hm?"

"OTO-CHAN!"

Sasuke burst into laughter. "Alright, alright. But let's keep it quiet or your mom's going to kill me." He gently pressed a pointing finger to her daughter's wide forehead, "You should be asleep right now, you know that? It's way past bedtime."

"But I don't wanna sleep." She retorted consciously, quickly reaching out in an attempt to swipe his hand from her forehead.

_Too slow._

She missed, and Sasuke's hand now rested on her little head. He smirked, giving her a look that meant to say 'in your dreams, kiddo.'

The girl ended up raising the covers up to her beautiful green eyes, hiding the embarrassment in her defeated expression. Her father consoled playfully her with a few pats on the head, slightly raking his fingers along her short black tresses, smiling fondly.

"So," he started again while gesturing the little girl to lie down, "when I was nearly done, she suddenly rolled over and I got stuck under her arm. And she was as heavy as a rock for someone so thin."

"Aha! I'm gonna tell Oka-san about that!" The boy quipped mischievously, smiling reticently.

"But that's true!" a small muffled voice interjected from under the bed sheets. "Oka-chan eats way too much, especially those itty-bitty creamy strawberry cakes that Oto-san buys for him when he comes home after his missions."

"Hey, that's even worse! I'm telling your mom on you." Sasuke taunted.

"Oto-san, you eat too much, too, y'know!"

Sasuke's face fell. "…w-what?"

The girl revealed a smile from under the covers as she spoke, "you and Uncle Naruto, I mean, Oto-san and Rokudaime, ate grandma Haruno's dinner today like there was no tomorrow." The son nodded contemplatively at the words 'you', 'Rokudaime', 'dinner' and 'no tomorrow.'

Sasuke uttered something between a sigh and a scoff.

_Blame it on Naruto and his eating habits.

* * *

_

Earlier this day, here at her old house, Sakura and her mother held a small welcoming party for him: a simple family dinner to celebrate his return after his mission in Water Country.

It was just another A-rank mission for him (all his missions were A-ranked these days). But it was so like Sakura to do these little things for him whenever he would be gone for long months on these assignments, and he expected these little things quite pleasantly.

She always made him miss home all the more.

He was relaxing on the living room sofa at around seven p.m. talking with his guests Kakashi, Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji about their last mission when he looked out to see Sakura shuffling across the hall towards the front door a second time. He was not surprised to see Naruto and his son at the doorstep, along with two of his staff.

_Oh, how sweet. The kind Rokudaime had graced the Haruno residence with his presence…or more like, 'graced their dinner table with his presence,'_ he thought.

_Old (freeloading) habits die hard._

It was at the dinner table that night, while he sat opposite the Hokage wide-eyed and everyone watched in awe, that Naruto began gulfing down Sakura and Grandma Haruno's beautiful dinner like it was junk food! Even when Sakura had bonked him on the head (which earned a few gasps from the newer acquaintances), his pace was unstoppable. Inhuman even.

His body must have acted on reflex, due to anger and hunger, when he quickly picked up his chopsticks and started eating hurriedly without saying anything.

He wouldn't let him gobble up everything his wife made especially for him…that's just absurd!

The famished guests seemed to understand his action instantly. They huddled over the table, leaving little room for the kids or the Harunos (who actually cooked everything, if he may add.)

"Gods, they just started a feeding frenzy!" Sakura thought loudly. Her mouth hung after she spoke, dumbstruck by the turn of events. She was glad they were enjoying the meal, but she was pretty embarrassed by this entire chaos happening at her mother's house.

"Maa…There's enough for everyone." He heard Grandma Haruno saying repeatedly in the background while restless chomping and eager munches filled the room.

To say the kids were scarred for life by what they saw…that would be an understatement.

But their effort was no good! Naruto was making dinner disappear in front of Sasuke's eyes!

Finally Kakashi, perhaps because he couldn't eat with that silly mask, saw an opening between the dumpling in Naruto's mouth and the chicken drumsticks he held in each hand, and with his juunin stealth, clapped a hand firmly over his open piehole. Everybody stopped.

"How troublesome," Shikamaru muttered.

"Da…I mean…Naruto!" Sasuke seethed. It was good he had caught himself or he could've cursed while the children were listening.

Naruto replied feebly, "Ch..Ckk…C…"

His face was turning blue!

"OhmygodtheHokage'schokingonthedumplinghesgonnalikedieSomeonehelphimquick!" one of the female subordinates screamed hysterically.

Kakashi sweatdropped. "Oops."

Naruto's entourage began to panic.

Then out of nowhere, a hand slapped Naruto on the back, sending a piece of dumpling across the table. Sasuke turned his head and dodged the projectile as it flew out the door behind him and went "SPLAT!" in another room.

"Whew! Thanks!" Naruto drew a long breath, and grinned impishly. Suddenly, the hand that had slapped his back glided up and dug its fingers into the Rokudaime's shoulder.

"Uh-oh." Naruto squeaked.

There was a long, deathly silence.

"Naruto…!" It was raining veins on top of Sakura's red head. Her pink hair had turned white, just like her knuckles. They could've sworn there were flames behind her! She looked scary. Really scary.

Instantly, she pulled him up with one hand as if he were weightless (when he had consumed enough for ten people) and flung him across the table and out of sight, much like that piece of dumpling. "YOU HAVE NO MANNERS!" She fumed, and then threw a rag at him, "AND CLEAN THAT UP!" she added.

Everyone was frightened to speak afterwards. Even grandma Haruno was surprised at her daughter's reaction.

And then, Kakashi and Ino started to laugh. It caught Sakura off guard, and suddenly she felt red creep up her face. She went to her husband's side, rather flustered and near tears, and as if seeking protection.

Sasuke pondered what to say for a few seconds, and finally stood up. He turned around to face Sakura and wrapped his one arm around her waist.

"Sakura, dinner was fun."

Everyone laughed. That was good, he thought. Even Grandma Haruno was laughing.

The people started to clean up the mess while the others went to look for the Hokage. Grandma Haruno found himin the next room talking passionately with the children about the 'fire that burns inside Konoha-nins' and about him not having an 'eating disorder.'

* * *

"Ok, never mind about dinner, tell us the rest of the story!" the girl begged. 

"Alright. Well, I tried to pull myself free, but then I didn't notice that she was having this sort of nightmare, and she started throwing punches at me."

"Did you get hit?" The boy asked, now completely drawn into the story.

"Yeah, right here." Sasuke pointed hesitantly to his cheek. He was slightly embarrassed.

"NO WAY!" The two of them yelled in chorus. Both of them started to speak frantically about him being invincible, and about his Anbu status, how their mother could do something like that. They couldn't believe it. Their mother could hit their father in her sleep?

Right then, the door creaked open and they all swung their heads to the person who stood at the entrance.

"What's all this ruckus? I said time for bed." She approached them and looked warily at her husband. With a groan, he proceeded to tuck them both into bed.

"Aww, Oka-san, not yet! Oto-san's telling us a story!" But she didn't put up much of a fight, because she was in fact, very sleepy, now that her father had stopped talking.

She raised a curious eyebrow at her daughter, but decided bedtime was more important than asking. "No, Miyako. I said sleep." Sakura's voice was firm but motherly. "Now." She placed a soft hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Besides, I need Daddy downstairs. Grandma Haruno's house is a mess."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Darn that Naruto, he thought.

After turning off the lamp, she leaned over and kissed them. "Naosuke…you too. Eight-year olds should get lots of sleep or they won't grow up."

"Hai." After saying their goodnights, Miyako and Naosuke watched as their parents exited the dark room.

"Mom looks kinda mad." Whispered Miyako.

"Yeah. Too bad Oto-san couldn't finish the story again. He'll be gone next week."

"Another mission?"

"Probably."

"Then let's ask him tomorrow, then."

"Hm, sure." He yawned. "Miyako, it's cool isn't it? This is the same room where it happened."

Nobody answered. And so, Naosuke closed his eyes .

Later that evening the guests went home, but not after Naruto apologized again and Sakura smiled and forgave him.

With only the two of them left at the kitchen as she washed the dishes and he dried them quietly, Sakura stared at Sasuke warmly until he finally caved and asked, "Yes, my mistress?"

Her stare lightened up when she laughed. "You enjoy talking to them like that, to Naosuke and Miyako...In private, I mean. You never play with them like that when were out on a picnic or when there's someone else around. Why is that?"

He hid a sigh. He stared at his reflection in the ceramic he was holding. "Because it could be dangerous. I have too many enemies." He added in the end, "You know."

"Oh." She smiled pleasantly. "Is that it? You're so sly."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on…"

Inner Sakura: Come on, you snuck into my room that day because you have too many enemies? Give me a break, Sasuke-kun!

"…nobody would dare try doing anything to us." She smiled.

He smirked. He was happy that his family felt so secure, in spite of his unsafe profession.

Minutes later, as she dipped her hands into the sink, absently swirling the soapy water, she spoke softly, "Sasuke-kun, You said dinner was great. But that isn't what I wanted to hear," She pouted, and gave Sasuke a playful but irked little bonk on the head as well, leaving soap bubbles on his raven hair. "Besides, it wasn't fun, it was a disaster."

Moving closer to pick up a wet plate beside the sink, he whispered to her ear "I know." Her eyes opened in surprise. He kissed her softly on the cheek and added, "but _you_ made it for me."

He gazed intently at her, making her gasp as he brushed his lips against her ears to whisper her name, "Sakura, Arigatou."

At hearing this she smiled sweetly. And despite the dish he was drying and the soapsuds that were up to her arms, they manage to hug and kiss.

* * *

_**A/N**__: YUP, IT'S A FUTURE FIC._

_I didn't feel like writing this chapter anymore, but then I remembered I told someone I'd make them kiss in the end, I ended up with this mush…and it's uncharacteristic of me…because it's pretty senseless. Thank you for bearing with my creativity block._

_Now you wonder, where did I get those names? I had to do a little searching because I wanted to get them good names. Here are my sources:_

_---it's kinda funky because i had to put ( ) so that the link wouldn't dissappear.  
_

----(http/)www.aboutnames.ch/japanese.html


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